


The Bodyguard

by K_lara7



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Celebrity, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Tumbr: rebelcaptainprompts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-18
Updated: 2017-11-06
Packaged: 2018-11-15 19:07:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11237331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/K_lara7/pseuds/K_lara7
Summary: When the life of Alliance Studios heartthrob, Cassian Andor is threatened, security expert Jyn Erso is drafted to protect him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was started in answer to the fake relationship "tempted" prompt. Not sure where it's going, but it might be a crazy ride.

Alliance Studios latest up and coming heartthrob star, Cassian Andor, was receiving death threats. Although he thought them inconsequential, his best friend and agent, Kay Tesso, disagreed. 

At first it was just a few letters from a deranged fan. They were always sent without a return address and theatrically assembled from magazine articles. Some were highly complimentary, but they evolved into menacing whenever the actor was seen with another woman. Oftentimes the letters would contain photos of the young actor and his latest female companion.

This was the part the actor despised the most, as the women were always carefully hand picked by the studio to promote his image. Early on in his career, he dismayed the studio when he showed up stag to a black tie affair. After that incident, it was always stipulated in his contract that he had to have an appropriate date or one would be chosen for him. 

The latest fan mail he had received involved pictures of beheaded chickens. The most disturbing part about this was the accompanying photos of a cock-fighting awareness campaign Cassian had been involved in. It was this letter that prompted a police investigation, but no leads had yet been discovered. 

Kay started shopping around for a bodyguard that both Cassian and the studio could agree upon. 

***

Bodhi Rook was surprised when he got the e-mail. As the secretary to Guardian, a self defense consulting firm run by two martial arts experts who did movie choreography on the side, a studio request was not unusual. But this one, providing a nondescript bodyguard was. The money involved was also impressive. 

He printed out the information. There was only one employee that fit. the profile, so Bodhi found himself asking Jyn Erso to take the commission. 

"You want me to what? Are you crazy?" she roared.

"Jyn," he said soothingly. "This is an impressive commission, and an easy assignment. All you have to do is pose as a movie star's girlfriend and protect him from a deranged fan. He's been getting several crazy threats lately. The police, and I am sure, many agencies made up of letters, are trying to find the lunatic."

"And just who am I supposed to be dating?"

"Some new up and coming heartthrob, Cassian Andor."

"No! No way! I am not going to become the next 'afternoon girl' of his."

"Oh. You know who he is?" he inquired with a smirk.

Shaking her head in total disbelief. "You do to. He's the Mexican actor from the space opera, Jedah City."

"And considering the crush you've had on him for years, your not the least bit tempted?"

Blushing, she spat out, "No!"

"Come on, Jyn. This is a serious commission. His agent is really nervous about this fan. And his latest project, some environmental awareness flick, is getting a lot of heat, too. And face it, Guardian really needs the money. We are scraping by, but barely."

"Let me see the file," Jyn said resigned. As she flipped through the pages, Bodhi's phone rang. 

Looking at the number, he said, "Let me take this, while you read that." She nodded distractedly. 

Bodhi closed his phone a few minutes later, a grim expression on his face. Based on the file, Jyn began to understand just how serious this 'fan' was. "You really believe this is a credible threat?"

"Yes, I do. And so does several law enforcement agencies."

"Alright, I'll do it."

"Good. Go change into something more dramatic and less professional."

"Why?"

"Your 'boyfriend's' been shot. He's on his way to the hospital now.'


	2. Chapter 2

When Bodhi pulled up to the hospital, the sidewalk was crowded with reporters. Fortunately, their faces were unknown and they were left in peace. Jyn had no idea how long that would last. Eventually someone would realize they were here for Cassian Andor.

They walked to the information desk. With a few careful words they were given entry to a private waiting room. 

 

****

"Thank you for coming on such short notice," Kay greeted them. Jyn had to tilt her head way back to look into his blue eyes. He was over a foot taller than her with a full head of blond hair.

Jyn nodded. "What happened?"

"Right now they are calling it an accident on set. They were filming one of the big action scenes when another actor fired a prop gun. Somehow it was loaded with real bullets instead of blanks. Cassian was standing on some scaffolding and fell several feet."

"What do the doctors say?" Bodhi asked. 

"We are still waiting for an update."

"Do you know if this shooting is connected to the deranged fan, or an isolated incident?" Jyn asked as the door behind her opened.

The newcomer answered for Kay. "They are definitely connected." He paused holding out his hand. "Davits Draven, special investigator. And you must be Jyn Erso and Bodhi Rook from Guardian."

Surprised, Jyn responded, "How did you know?"

Smirking, Draven replied, "I'm good at my job. And I knew your former guardian, Saw Guerra. He actually recommended your agency for this situation."

"I see. You said you know for sure that the shooting is connected to the crazy fan?"

The detective glanced around the room. "We know for sure that the person sending the hate mail had access to the set. We found two severed chicken heads in Mr. Andor's dressing room. So you see Ms. Erso, this case just escalated from harassment and threats to attempted murder."

"And you want me to pose as Mr. Andor's girlfriend to protect him from this lunatic?"

Kay answered, "Cassian is a very private person. He's not going to want anyone to know he needs a bodyguard. Your 'relationship' will help keep that cover while you keep him safe. But do to the current circumstances, we need to change the story a little. The hospital has a very strict visitor policy. And with Cassian's celebrity status they are vigorously enforcing it. So as of two weeks ago, you agreed to marry him."

"I what?" She exclaimed. 

"Congratulations. You are getting married. Please don't try to resist," he deadpanned.

"You can't be serious."

"About actually getting married? No, I am not. About posing as his fiance, one hundred percent. I can't post guards in his room. I can however take rotations with you to provide protection. Cassian has me listed as next of kin."

"Won't our engagement look suspicious? "

"Not really. I have taken the liberty of having some pictures photo-shoped and distributed to the paparazzi that will out your 'secret relationship' in tomorrow's press." He held out a ring. "Here. It's one of our studio props but it will serve as an engagement ring for now. And tomorrow I will have you meet with one of my costume designers to help you dress the part."

Jyn looked at Bodhi as if to say, "What have you gotten me into?" 

Before she could say anything out loud, Draven intervened. "Ms. Erso, I appreciate your help with this matter. Unfortunately we do not have the staff available to provide around the clock security for Mr. Andor. And at this time, I don't believe this person will stop until he's dead."

Jyn nodded, resigned. "Alright. I'm in."

"Good. Now we wait for an update on his condition," Kay said, almost sounding relieved.

****

It was several hours later before the doctor came in with an update. Cassian's injuries included a gun shot wound to his left shoulder, which was not life threatening. The real danger was from the injuries he sustained falling off the scaffolding. These included cracked ribs, a collapsed lung and a head injury.

For the time being he would remain in a medically induced coma while the doctors reinflated the lung. He was intubated and the pain of breathing would be almost unbearable. Once he was breathing on his own they would remove the tube and wake him up. At that point they would be able to assess his head injury. 

Visitors would be limited to one at a time, but the hospital had agreed that someone could remain at his side at all times. This way they didn't have to provide extra security to keep the Paparazzi out. 

The doctor told her that while Cassian was unconscious she should talk to him. Since Cassian had no idea who she was, she didn't have anything she could say. She asked Kay to bring Cassian's favorite books and she could at least read to him. 

And so for the next several days, she and Kay took turns watching over him. He lay still, dressed in a ridiculous hospital gown, with a face mask covering the lower half of his face. The doctors said he was very fortunate. He came away from the incident with only a few scratches on his face. Plastic surgery would jot be necessary to repair any damage. As an actor, his pretty face was part of his livelihood.

By day three, Jyn found herself reading the first of a series of exposes on their 'relationship'. The latest headline to make her grown was: "Has Cassian Andor Finally Found His Cinderella?" This was followed up with "The Ring Fits, But Does The Shoe?" And of course, "Is Cassian Andor's Latest Afternoon Girl The Lucky One?"

Kay took it as a good sign that the tabloids were focused on the fake relationship instead of Cassian's injuries. The press was having a field day with bad puns and relationship advice. She could only hope they had a chance to warn Cassian when he woke up. It wouldn't be good for his recovery to suddenly be thrown into an 'engagement' he knew nothing of.

A week after the incident, the doctors finally decided to wake the patient up. Kay and Jyn stood to the side in tense anticipation. They couldn't afford anyone in the hospital to doubt the engagement narrative. 

It took a few hours for the drugs to wear off enough for him to awake. As he looked around the room, his eyes caught Kay's. He tried to speak, but his throat was too dry. Jyn stood up to get him something to drink. Looking over at Kay he asked, "What's going on?"

Not wanting to distress him, Kay responded, "What do you remember?"

Cassian tried to hold onto a memory. "We were on the Celebrity Cruise to Scarif Bay."

Kay frowned. Gently he said, "That was three weeks ago."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassian and Jyn get to know each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This week's challenge at Rebel CaptainNetwork fake relationship AU is Surprise.

Cassian didn't know what to make of the fact that he had lost three weeks of his life. The fact that he was in a hospital because of an almost successful attempt on his life didn't help matters. He tuned out the doctor as she listed his injuries and expected recovery. It was too much information at once while he was trying to remember. 

He knew Kay, ever his responsible best friend, would be sure to note anything Cassian needed to know, so he turned his attention to the beautiful young woman next to him. 

Noticing the direction of his gaze, Kay thanked the doctor and asked for a private moment with the patient. Once they were alone, Kay proceeded to introduce Cassian to his fiancé. He filled him in on the story the tabloids had been fed about a whirlwind romance on the cruise ship. 

While Kay explained her presence to the actor, Jyn was able to observe him without the breathing tube covering his face. His skin was abnormally white and his face was still covered in bruises. For this picture he had been clean shaven, but days unconscious had left him with quite a beard; not a bad look on him. 

On screen he was a force to be reckoned with. Here, in the hospital bed, he seemed small and thin. The injuries had taken a toll and he had lost weight his trim body couldn't afford.

Doctor Val Tomin had warned her that his recovery would be long and difficult. She gave Jyn a list of rehab exercises and appointments for Cassian to keep if he wanted to regain his health. The doctor had wanted to order home health care but Jyn refused. Cassian seemed to be a private person to her. As his bodyguard, she could also care for this aspect of his safety. 

She would make sure he could recover in the privacy of his own home without the fear of a stranger selling his story later. As his fiancé, no one would question her place in his apartment and it would provide the rag mags safer topics of gossip than his medical condition. 

Jyn had wanted to tell Cassian the truth about their 'relationship' the moment he woke up. Unfortunately, Kay had the final say on the matter by virtue of the employment contract. She followed his lead.

Kay must not have thought it a good idea to explain to the actor that on top of someone trying to kill him, the studio had decided to hire a woman to pose as his girlfriend-slash-fiance to protect him. With his head injury, Kay was probably afraid Cassian might slip up. Once they got him back to the privacy of his own home they could explain the deception. Hopefully the surprise wouldn't cause him to relapse. 

Cassian's head was aching as Kay finished his explanation. He didn't know how to deal with a relationship he had no memory of. As he tried to sit up, pain shot through his arm. The strange woman was instantly by his side carefully urging him back down.

"Careful," she said gently. Then she turned to Kay. "Could you give us a few moments of privacy?"

Searching her face, Kay decided he could trust her to follow his lead. "I'm going to make a few phone calls. Text me if you need anything." He closed the door quietly behind him.

Jyn turned to Cassian. "Would you like some water?" At his nod, she grabbed a glass already set with a straw and helped him drink. 

She sat back down, picked up his hand and looked at him. The doctors had encouraged touch for his recovery. There was no harm in following doctor's orders, was there?

"You don't remember anything about our relationship, do you?" she stated the obvious. 

"No." He looked down at their clasped hands but didn't pull away. 

"That's ok. I'm sure it will come back to you. Don't force it. Just concentrate on getting better."

"And if I never remember?" he asked cautiously. 

"Why don't we get you through your current movie project, then we can worry about our relationship. And in the meantime, I'll be right here. You need to concentrate on getting better." She really didn't like the thought of lying to him and decided to keep as close to the truth as possible.

He suddenly looked very tired. "For now, rest. We can figure out our relationship later. Sleep. I'll be here when you wake up." 

Cassian wanted to shout out that he'd been sleeping too much, but his eyes closed, involuntarily. He was asleep within minutes. 

Cassian silently observed Jyn. She was different than the women the studio always hired to escort him to publicity functions. Those women were usually taller, lighter haired and snobbier. They would never be caught in public in any form that wasn't perfect. Perfect hair, perfect makeup, perfect accessories, of which included him. It was impossible to enjoy their company as they were always fangirling on him. 

Jyn was dressed down in everyday clothes. He couldn't ever remember seeing makeup on her and had the thought that she was perfect without the stuff. Her brown hair was always pulled back in a messy bun. She didn't treat him as special or different. In fact, she treated him like he was the guy next door and not the guy on the movie poster. 

It was an experience he hadn't had in years. He couldn't remember when the last time was that a woman didn't expect something from him. In his current state he was a burden. Dr. Tomin refused to let him return to work until after the stitches came out. Then it would be at least two weeks before he could return to the set and several more before he could go back to a normal work schedule. 

The whole helpless feeling of being an invalid was not helped by the strange feeling that Jyn, a stranger to him, expected to help him through his convalescence. 

Lying in bed, he tried so hard to remember the last weeks. He couldn't understand how he went from unattached and not dating to meeting a woman and proposing to her in such a short period of time. And yet, not only did Kay say it happened, but he also supported Jyn completely. That wasn't like Kay at all. Normally he was very protective of Cassian, often extricating him from uncomfortable situations.

Jyn had not left his side since he awoke. She read to him from his favorite books or watched television with him. Sometimes she would read the latest on their relationship straight out of the tabloids. Thankfully, she found all the speculation humorous and not humiliating.

He could almost see how he could fall in love with her so quickly. With her dry wit and feisty attitude, their was no question how he could find her attractive. 

He came out of his reflections to Jyn reading to him again. Something about the situation confused him. She looked up and said, "You're staring again."

"I'm sorry. I--. It's just I--. It's the ring. Did you pick it out, or did I?"

Jyn looked down at the monstrosity on her hand. It was a huge saphire set in silver, square cut and impersonal. It shouted, 'I'm rich, not I love you.' What Cassian didn't know is that it was also fake.

Sticking to the truth, she answered, "I believe Kay found it for you. You didn't get the chance to pick it out."

"Well, that explains it then," he said, relieved. The simple necklace she wore fit her. He had the random thought that if ever bought her a ring it would match the simplicity of the piece.

"Explains what?"

"I think I would have picked something smaller, and maybe green, to match your eyes. Kay likes to make a statement. And that ring definitely makes a statement."

"And what statement would that be?" she smiled.

Cassian hesitated, feeling as if a trap were closing. Choosing his words carefully, he answered, "That ring seems to be an ownership tag. You don't strike me as the type who would like to be owned. And it's gaudy, which also doesn't seem to be your style."

"It is definitely not my style. Dr.Tomin said you could go home today. But she insists you come back in a week to have the stitches removed. She feels like we are rushing your recovery, but I thought you would prefer to recover at home away from prying eyes." At his emphatic nod, she continued, "She only agreed to release you after I assured her you won't be alone at home, as your going to need constant care."

Cassian didn't want to admit she was right, but he didn't know how he would be able to manage without help. "I'll talk to Kay. He can hire someone to help me."

"Absolutely not!" she almost shouted, flinching like he had slapped her. Calming, she said, "I've already requested the time off from my employer. They know I will be helping you through your convalescence. And I am not about to let just any stranger have access to you. You don't know if they would take advantage of the situation and sell the story to the highest bidder." 

What she didn't add was that she wasn't going to risk anyone getting that close to him in case of a second attempt on his life. 

"I'll compensate you. How much do I owe you?" he instantly offered.

"Dammit, Cassian," she complained, "I don't want your money. And I am not going to have that conversation again." It angered her that he thought he had to pay his fiancé, and that's what he thought she was, to care for him. She was also surprised she could yell at him when she figured she'd be tongue-tied around him. 

Self consciously he looked away. "I didn't mean to offend you. I don't know anything about you, what you do. I don't want to create a financial hardship for you."

Jyn reached out and grabbed his hand to turn him back towards her. "I appreciate your concern. And yes, I am going to be taking a leave of absence from my normal job, but Kay already took care of that." 

He gave her a quizzical look sticking as close to the truth as possible Jyn said, "He managed to get the studio to pay me for lost wages while you recover. Since they are responsible for the lapse in security on the film site, they agreed. Kay might have used blackmail, I'm not sure."

At that he smiled just a little. Kay was always protective of him and probably had some heated words with a few producers.

"I'll let it go for now, but if you need anything, please ask. I don't want you suffering because of me." Jyn snorted. When she first took this assignment she wasn't sure it wouldn't be a disaster. Now she grateful she had taken it. No one was going to hurt him on her watch. She didn't let herself think about why this mattered so much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure where I'm going with this, but It's fun writing it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassian leaves the hospital.

Cassian stumbled into his penthouse suite, braced up against Jyn.  It took all his humility to allow her help.  He knew he couldn't do it on his own, but he felt uncomfortable asking a stranger for assistance. 

Carefully, she helped him sit on his sofa, limiting as much strain on his ribs as she could.  He tried, but couldn't hold back a groan.  "Sorry.  I'm trying to be gentle."

At that he couldn't help but smirk.  That could be taken so many ways.  If he knew her better, he might have said what actually came to his mind, but he didn't want to offend her.  Instead, he nodded, turning his attention to his home.  "I know.  Thank you."

The penthouse had never been very welcoming to him.  It was more a place to sleep and show off for prospective employers.  There was an expectation in Hollywood of extravagance, and his quarters didn't disappoint.  He didn't find it very relaxing. 

The space felt different today.  Slowly he bagan to notice little changes around him.  There were flowers in a crystal vase he recognized from the hospital.   On the counter sat a small stack of papers.  By the door was a pair of running sneakers that didn't belong to him.  Over all, the apartment felt different, more lived in.  

As he tried to assimilate these subtle changes, a little brown and grey fluff ball jumped on to the couch next to him and plopped across his lap, wagging it's tail.  Since when did he have a cat?

"Jyn?" he asked hesitantly.

"Yes?" She said as she walked over with a glass of water and a couple pills.  

"When did I get a cat?" 

"Oh, he's mine," she said off handedly.  "His name's Wicket.  I hope you don't mind, but I couldn't leave him alone at my place.  And Kay said the owner of the building didn't mind."

"Kay spoke to Leia?  Did he tell her what happened?" Cassian asked, startled.  "I hope not.  She'll only worry and she has enough going on right now."

"Leia?" Jyn repeated confused.  "He didn't mention her to me."  She felt a slight pang of jealousy.   Kay had assured her Cassian wasn't in a relationship that her presence could destroy.  Had Cassian been secretly seeing this woman?

"My younger sister.  I did mention her to you, right?" he asked, confused.

"Oh, uh, I just didn't remember her name," she said trying to minimize the lying.  The gossip magazines had never mentioned his sister. She needed to have a conversation with Kay about things in Cassian's life that the tabloids would't know.

"Leia owns the building." Anxiously, he repeated, "If he asked her about the cat, I wonder if he told her what happened?"

"I have no idea who Kay might have called. He didn't tell me. But I haven't seen any flowers from her, so he probably didn't tell her."

Cassian laughed at that.  "She wouldn't send flowers.  She'd be on the next flight home.  I hope Kay didn't tell her.  She's currently on a diplomatic mission and I wouldn't want to interupt that over such a small thing."

Jyn looked at him incredulously.  "You almost died!  You realize that between the bullet, the blood loss, the broken bones and the collapsed lung you should be dead?  You were in surgery for 10 hours."

He was staring at her like she had two heads.  Embarrassed, he looked down at the cat, whose fur he had absently been petting. He whispered, "I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to worry you so much."

Worry her?  Like he injured himself on purpose?  Pausing to calm her nerves, she then continued more quietly.  "You should call your sister.  The paparazzi were covering the story in all the juicy, gory details at first.   So she may already know.  Hearing your voice would assure her of your recovery.   And if you hadn't told her about us, our engagement, now would be a good time. The tabloids outed our relationship at the same time." And since Cassian hadn't really been engaged, there was no way Leia knew about Jyn. This lie was just getting bigger and bigger.

Flinching a little at that, Cassian whispered, "I'm a dead man." His embarrassment was endearing. It was cute to see a grown man fear his little sister.

Jyn brought him his phone with a smirk and left the room so he could have privacy.

While he was distracted with that phone call, she set about making his bedroom comfortable.  She gave him another ten minutes tops before the adrenaline wore off and he fell asleep. It would be better if he made it to his bed before he collapsed.  Folding back the covers, she laid out a set of night clothes for him. Knowing her luck, he probably preferred to sleep nude. As much as she might enjoy the view, it wouldn't be fair to cross the line. He thought their relationship was real, would he ever forgive her we he learned the truth? The less she had to atone for, the better.

Cassian hung up the phone on Leia's voicemail. She would see the missed call and return his call. Truthfully, he didn't think he was up to that conversation right now. Carefully he stood and limped his way to his room. Leaning up against the door frame, Cassian watched Jyn as she worked. It felt weird to have her in his space. Oddly enough, it felt right. "She didn't answer her phone. I'll try to call her later."

Jyn looked up with a scowl. "What are you doing up?" She scrambled over to him, urging him to lean up against her as she helped him sit on the bed. "You need to be careful with those stitches." She handed him a glass of water and two pills. 

"What are these for?" he asked suspicious.

"One is your antibiotic, the other is for the pain." When he started to protest she stopped him. "The trip from the hospital was rough on you. Your going to take that and rest until dinner. No arguments."

He saluted her, snapping, "Yes ma'am." She just rolled her eyes.

"Do you need help changing?" she asked, her face turning a little pink.

Cassian tried to shrug but the pain stopped him. White faced, he responded, "I think I'll just stay in these clothes for now." 

Nodding, Jyn took the glass back from him. Searching awkwardly for a topic to fill the silence, she said, "I think Kay set up room service for the next several days. He said he knew all your comfort foods. Dinner should be delivered by the time you wake up."

"Thanks," he said, not sure what seemed wrong with what she said. He was asleep almost before his head hit the pillow. 

Jyn turned to leave the room just as Cassian's phone went off. She answered it before it could wake him up. "Hello?"

The voice on the other end of the phone was clipped, "Who are you, and what are you doing answering my brother's phone?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long and it's so short.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassian and Leia's back story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't really know what happened, but I just gave this story a plot... sorry about that.

Frantically, Jyn looked over at Cassian. Not wanting to wake him, she stepped out of the room. Wicket jogged around her legs to jump on Cassian’s bed. He instantly curled up next to the man. Shaking her head at her cat, Jyn closed the door. The voice on the other end of the phone snapped, “Answer me.”

Jyn calmly answered, “My name is Jyn Erso, Your Highness.” What was the proper title for a diplomat?

“Jyn Erso? You’re the tramp my brother is dating? Where is he? I want to talk to him, right now!”

“He’s asleep, and I am not disturbing him. You can call back later and talk to him as long as you promise not to upset him. Cassian has been very ill,” she returned sharply.

“Just who in the Hell do you think you are to tell me what to do? You put him on the phone, right now.”

“I’m sorry Your Highness, but no one, not even God Himself, is waking Cassian. He needs his rest.”

“How dare you? You put him on the phone right now. Do you have any idea who you are messing with?

“Yes, ma’am. I know who you are. But the last time I checked, present fiance trumps absent sister.”

“Is that your final answer?” the woman shot back.

“Yes, it is,” Jyn replied, succinctly. 

“Good. We are going to get along just fine, Jyn,” Leia laughed.

“Excuse me?”she asked, confused. 

“I know who you are, Jyn. And I know the truth about what you are doing there. Kay has been keeping me updated regularly. He knows that I would rip his arms off if he didn’t keep me in the loop. I’m sorry we have put you in this situation. I understand you prefer to meet all conflicts head-on and honestly.

“I do agree with Kay on this though. If Cassian understood the true threat to his life, he would push all of us away to protect us from being collateral damage. He would also try to use himself as bait to draw the threat out.”

Jyn didn’t want to argue with Cassian’s sister, but the man she described was quite different from the man in the tabloids. Leia continued, “For now, I need you to continue the pretense. No matter how dishonest you feel, you need to keep pretending to be his fiance. There is a lot more going on than even I know about right now. I have all my resources dedicated to finding this assassin and stopping him. At this point, I am sure that I know who wants my brother dead, and why. 

Whatever resources you need, ask. I will get them for you. Any expenses you have, Kay will take care of them. There are going to be a lot of public events. I am sending my personal assistant to help you prepare for those. He’ll help you with the necessary wardrobe. His name is Cedric Threepio. You’ll meet with him tomorrow.”

Jyn’s mind was trying to process all this information. Cassian’s overprotective younger sister wanted her to keep lying to her brother to protect him. Damn. She had been half hoping Leia would force the truth to be told. And now she was going to have to dress the part of a celebrity’s girlfriend. Bye-bye combat boots. They better not try to force her into heels.

Leia continued, “I have left a package with my secretary, Winter, at my office. It’s all the notes on the investigation I have so far. I think you should know just what is going on. Please, don’t tell my brother. He’ll probably blame himself and try to isolate himself to protect those he loves. It wouldn’t be the first time. And I know it goes against everything you believe, but you need to pretend to be a damsel-in-distress. Cassian will take foolish risks when it’s only his life on the line. If he thinks you're in danger too, he will be more careful.”

Jyn stopped her for a moment. “I can’t do this alone. I’m going to need help.”

“Who did you have in mind?”

“My friend, Bodhi. I can trust him and he is trained for this, former military.”

“Cassian’s going to need someone to drive him around. I’ll bring him on as his driver. Anyone else?”

“Chirrut and Baze, my employers, would be a great resource. They already have access to the studio as stunt choreographers. Cassian may even know them.”

“Kay has told me about them. That should be easy. Their cover is that they got you the job on the celebrity cruise where you met Cassian.”

“That works,” Jyn agreed.

“Bring Bodhi on today. He can stay with Cassian while you go pick up that package and read it. The faster you are in the loop, the better,” she ordered.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Knock that off. That’s not even the correct title. And my name is Leia. When Cassian wakes up, tell him you talked to me and I gave you Hell over the prenup.”

“Prenup?”

“Cassian is sure that I would be a dragon to any woman he was really serious about. He’d expect me to demand to know your intentions toward him and be out to protect his financial assets. He hates that discussion so it should get him to take your side over mine. 

“And, Jyn, thank you. I know the only reason Cassian called me is because you told him too. The stupid man wouldn’t want to worry me.”

As soon as Jyn got off the phone with Leia, she called Bodhi, “Drop everything and get over here, now.”

An hour later, Cassian awoke to voices in his livingroom. As he started to get out of bed he felt tiny claws dig into his leg. Looking down, he found Jyn’s cat laying over his leg. Carefully he pushed the animal aside and stood. He pushed through the wave of dizziness that washed over him. 

Jyn was sitting on the couch sideways, talking to a man he remembered meeting at the hospital. He couldn’t remember who he was though. She looked up at his entrance. Rushing over to him, she made sure he was stable and escorted him to the couch. As she seated him, she said, “Cassian, I’m not sure if you remember Bodhi. He came by the hospital with me.”

“I remember a little, not much.”

Bodhi smiled a little nervously. “That’s ok. I don’t think we said anything important.”

“I have to go run a couple errands. Bodhi’s going to stay with you while I’m gone,” she said.

“I don’t need anyone to stay with me,” Cassian said, frustrated because he probably did need someone to help him. 

“Well, it’s either Bodhi or Kay. And you need to call your sister back. She wasn’t in a good mood when I talked to her.”

“When did you talk to her?”

“She called back right after you fell asleep. She’s not happy with you. You should have called her.”

“Is that it?”

“No. Apparently you need to get your little sister’s approval of anyone you date. She doesn’t like me and told me to sign the prenup.”

“What prenup?” he asked confused.

“The one her team set up, I guess. And I get to meet with some assistant of hers and learn how to dress so I don’t embarrass you in the tabloids anymore,” Jyn said with a smirk.

Sighing, Cassian closed his eyes. “I’m sorry. My sister is overprotective of me. It’s rather embarrassing since I’m six years older than she is. She just likes to boss everyone around.”

“She must be very good at it if she is a diplomat.”

“Oh, she’s the best. And she used to get me into so much trouble.”

“I can’t wait to hear all about it, just as soon as I get back.” She leaned over to kiss his cheek and hit his lips when he turned his head. He put his arm around her and deepened the kiss. It took Bodhi clearing his throat to separate them. Jyn bit her lip nervously as she looked into Cassian’s searching eyes. “Later,” she promised, escaping out the door.

As silence descended, Cassian felt like the light had just gone out of the room. Bodhi stuttered into the quiet, “Are you hungry? Dinner arrived a few moments ago.”

Absently, Cassian nodded. It had just occurred to him, all of the rooms in his house had a touch of her in them, except his bedroom. He didn’t know what to make of that.

***

Jyn rushed into the office of Organa Enterprises. The receptionist looked up at her entry and immediately called upstairs. As she hung up the phone, she directed Jyn to the top floor. “Go right up, Ms. Winter is expecting you.” Within moments she was being shown into a large open space in one of the tallest buildings in the city. A gorgeous young woman with stark white hair greeted her. 

“Please have a seat. Let me get the packet Leia sent for you. If you have any questions about the information, I will try to answer them.” She walked over to a bookshelf and grabbed a banker’s box. Bringing it over to the center of the room, she placed it next to her coffee table. It took just a few moments to spread out the documents on the table. 

Winter handed her two cellphones. “Leia wanted you to have all the necessary contacts. She figured it would be easier to upload them herself than to give them to you. One is for you, the other is for Mr. Rook.”

“What’s all of this,” Jyn gestured at the mess in front of her.

“This is all the research that the ambassador has done on a child slavery ring. Its very personal to her. And she thinks her research, and perhaps Cassian’s past is what motivates the person trying to kill him.”

“And what do you think?” Jyn asked.

“I think they are both at risk. Leia just has better guards. Until the threats started, no one realized Cassian might be in danger.” When Jyn tried to ask another question, Winter stopped her. “Read the file. If you have any questions at that point, then I will answer them. I’ll leave you alone for now. Just call me if you need anything.”

Jyn nodded as she picked up the first article. It was about a car accident involving a young woman named Padme Amidala and her two children, twins. The mother died at the scene, the boy, age 2, survived and was sent to live with a paternal uncle. The girl had disappeared before emergency services were on scene.

The next article was translated from a Mexican newspaper. It detailed the career of an up and coming child actor, Cassian Andor who was, tragically an orphan. His father had died before he was born, no details were given. His mother had died in a single car accident on her way to pick him up from daycare. He had just finished his second picture. The article noted that his mother had turned down several lucrative offers and planned to halt her son’s career to give him a normal childhood.  
After her death, Imperial Orphanage, headed by Director Orson Krennic, gained custody of the boy. From that moment on his career flourished. He was signed to a long term contract on Jedha City and several small, questionable movie parts that paid well. The article was ambiguous about where the money went. 

Setting that article aside, Jyn found the next one was also translated into English. This one detailed the rescue of a young girl found wondering alone on the streets, identified as Leia, by an eight year old Cassian Andor. The two children spent several months together becoming inseparable. Their story caught the attention of Bail and Breha Organa who decided to adopt them. 

Under the news articles were copies of legal documents. Leia, age 4, was formally adopted by the Organas. Physical custody of Cassian, age 10, was given to the Organas with the stipulation that his acting contracts had to be honored. There were more contracts detailing the disposition of the boy’s salary. Apparently he made Imperial Orphanage a lot of money and Krennic tried to set himself up as Cassian’s financial guardian. 

Bail was able to get the courts to agree to put all of the child’s money in a trust fund and seal it away until his 30th birthday. If the boy died before that date, the orphanage, and Director Krennic, would inherit the fortune. As a result, Bail Organa had set Cassian up with a significant trust from his own fortune as well as the penthouse he currently lived in. Leia was named executor in his absence to protect Cassian.

Below these documents were more news articles. One detailed the fiery crash that killed Breha and Bail. Those events were listed as suspicious and unsolved. Jyn noted that was three car accidents. It seemed a little too coincidental. 

Leia must have made the connection since her research went further. There were other children from the orphanage who had become child stars and died before their 18th birthday. All of their fortunes reverted to the director. It was a lot of information to take in.

If Leia was right, Krennic wanted Cassian dead to steal his fortune. That was not going to happen on her watch.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jyn goes clothes shopping.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll have an update soon on Secrets That We Keep. I would have already, but my computer ate my homework and I have to rewrite almost the whole thing. So here's fluff instead...

The two men were sitting on the couch attempting to watch a baseball game together. Bodhi figured this was a safe sport since neither of them understood the rules. Cassian prefered football, as in soccer, while he preferred watching the NFL. As San Francisco hit a lead deciding triple, Bodhi’s phone rang. He looked down at the display and excused himself to answer the phone. 

Cassian took the distraction as a chance to look around his home. He stumbled down the hall to his three guest rooms. The place was normally too big and empty for him. To the right, the first room was set aside as his office. Although Kay and Leia did more work there than he did. 

The second room was reserved for Leia, when she was in town. So that left the third room. Opening this door, he knew without a doubt that this was where Jyn had been staying. The space had been taken over with an abundance of female stuff. Bodhi sounded like he was wrapping his conversation up, so Cassian headed back to the living room making it look like he was coming back from the bathroom. 

As he sat back on the couch, Wicket jumped into his lap and promptly fell asleep. The cat made itself at home. Cassian wondered over the fact that Jyn hadn’t. What had their relationship been like before the incident? It had to have been quick since, after only having memories of her for a week, he missed her. This was pathetic. She’d only been gone for a few hours.

****

It was nighttime before Jyn returned. As she raised her hand to knock, Jyn hesitated at the door to Cassian’s penthouse. Thanks to Kay, she had a key and could just let herself into his home, but still she wasn’t sure. What was the etiquette in this situation? Did one just let themselves into their fake boyfriend’s home, especially when you move into it uninvited? 

She leaned back against the wall next to the door. Cassian was going to want to know where she went, and what could she tell him? After a moment, she decided to let herself in. If the fool was awake, he would probably insist on answering the door himself. 

The lights in the room were turned down low and Cassian was slumped over, asleep on the couch with a blanket draped over him. Bodhi was not in the room. She made her way down the hall to find her brother in the guest room she had claimed as hers. He was sound asleep. 

Making her way back down the hall she decided to get Cassian in his bed, then take the couch for the night. It was a simple plan, so of course it didn’t work. 

Gently she shook Cassian awake. “You’re going to be uncomfortable by morning, let’s get you in your own bed.” Carefully she helped him stand and walk to his room. 

She had him tucked in and was turning to leave when Cassian said sleepily, “Aren’t you going to sleep in here?” 

Jyn took a breath. It wouldn’t be fair to share a bed with him. He wouldn’t be making the offer if he knew the truth. So what could she say to keep from hurting his feelings or giving away the truth? “I don’t think it’s a good idea to share the bed with your injuries. I might hurt you in my sleep.”

“Oh,” Cassian said softly. “That’s why you were sleeping in the guest room? You can’t sleep there tonight. It got so late, I told Bodhi to sleep in there.”

“It’s not a problem, I’ll take the couch.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. The bed’s big enough. And it’s not like we haven’t-” he broke off. Had they shared a bed before? Maybe they hadn’t known each other long enough. Four weeks wasn’t very long, especially when you only remembered one. But if they were engaged- the sudden ache in his head stopped that thought. “Stay here tonight. We can figure out the rest in the morning. Please?” For some reason this was really important to him.

Seeing the lost look on his face, Jyn gave in. “Fine. I’ll be right back.” 

Cassian fell into a light sleep while she was gone, but woke immediately when she came back. She’d changed into a t-shirt and shorts. “Here, it’s time for your medicine.” He took it without argument. “Now get some sleep.”

“I spoke to Leia earlier,” he said, sleepily. “She reminded me that I have a fundraising function for a children’s charity to attend on Friday. And she made an appointment for you with her personal assistant. I’d like to come, if you don’t mind. Cedric is good at his job, but his taste in clothes might not match your personality. There are times when he can be overbearing.”

“Let’s see how you feel in the morning, then we can make a decision.” He nodded, closing his eyes and letting sleep take him. As she drifted off, she noticed her cat was cuddled up next to him, the traitor.

Surprisingly, he woke before she did. She was tucked into his good side, and it felt right. Turning carefully, he worked to keep from waking her. He was reminded of the times he woke in the hospital to see her slumped over asleep on the edge of his mattress. At the moment, she looked so young and worry free.

Her alarm went off and she blinked her eyes open, looking right into his. “Are you in pain?” she asked jumping up out of bed.

“No, I’m good. I think we should probably get moving though. Knowing Cedric, He’ll want to get an early start.”

“Are you sure you still want to go?”

“Definitely. I need to do something or I’ll go crazy.”

“Promise you’ll take it easy?”

He nodded. “Scout’s honor.” Jyn just rolled her eyes.

“You’ll wear your arm in a sling to keep the pressure off. And we’ll take Bodhi with us then. He can drive and if you get too tired, he can bring you back here.”

“I don’t want to keep him from anything,” Cassian said with a frown.

Jyn laughed at that. “Bodhi works for Uber,” she lied. “You aren’t keeping him from anything. And if it bothers you, I’ll bill his services to the studio.”

“Fair enough.” With extreme care, Cassian pushed himself out of the bed. “How long before we leave?”

“At least an hour. I’ll go wake Bodhi and get the coffee started.”

Leia had told Jyn that she was to spare no expense on a wardrobe that would complete her cover. Cedric, or See as he had told her to call him, had automatically chosen the most expensive clothing designer on Rodeo Drive. It was the ambassador’s favorite store and was extremely popular among the ‘Who’s Who of Who’s’. 

Looking at a price tag, Jyn balked at the $3,000 cost for the first dress she was offered. The thing was a hideous sheen of golden fabric that would do nothing to accentuate her looks. For some reason See really liked it. Maybe it was the fact that the dress matched his skin tone. After an hour, she realized Cassian had a surprising talent for fashion. “I think you missed your calling,” she smirked.

Cassian merely rolled his eyes. “Our mother used to drag me to all of Leia’s fittings. They preferred showy complicated numbers. Personally I think simple is best and showy clothing should be reserved for movies.” He yawned. 

“The seamstress has several gowns to work on. Why don’t you rest on the couch in the waiting room? I can come to you if you need advice.” When he looked about to protest she reminded him, “Bodhi could take you back to the penthouse.” 

“No. I’ll go sit down. Just don’t let See push you into anything you don’t like.” 

“Don’t worry, I won’t,” she said gently pushing him toward the curtain covered doorway.

After fifteen minutes she went to check on him and he was sound asleep. She smiled as she returned to the torture of the fitting room. 

Jyn was being fitted for the dress she was going to wear to the charity event when See came hobbling into the room. “Excuse me, ma’am, but there is a woman arguing with Master Cassian. I was wondering if--” Jyn didn’t wait for him to finish. She went rushing off to his rescue. He was still healing, no one was going to upset him.

The sight that greeted her made her blood boil. Cassian had obviously been woken up by the gorgeous woman standing next to the couch and he didn't look pleased to see her. The lady was decked out in luxurious red finery that perfectly accentuated her spray on tan. As she turned toward Jyn, she pushed her dark hair back from her face. It was a face Jyn recognized from the tabloids. A famous model, Ciana Ree had dated Cassian for a few months before it ended abruptly. That was when the studio approved string of ‘afternoon girls’ started. Acerbically, Jyn asked, “May I help you?” 

The woman turned her nose up at her as she retorted, “Certainly not. You are not needed here.” She waived her fingers. “Run along and play dress up little one, while us adults have a conversation.” 

“I’m sorry to disturb your conversation,” Jyn replied far more casually than she felt. “I needed Cassian’s opinion on the dress I am going to wear to our first charity event together.” She glanced at Cassian to gauge his reaction to her possessiveness. All she found was an expression of relief. As he pushed himself with one arm into a sitting position, he flinched at the tug on his ribs. 

Jyn came rushing to his side as the model stepped back out of her way trying not to stumble on her ridiculous heels. “Here, careful now.” Together they got him to his feet.

“Cassian, darling,” the woman purred out in a fair imitation of Cruella DeVille, “send this riff-raff away so we can talk.”

He looked at Jyn, then back to his ex. “We have nothing to discuss, Ciana. I believe we said all we needed to when I found Thane in your bed.”

“That was a mistake.”

“What? Your being in bed with my stunt double, or you forgetting our date? Or maybe the mistake was me finding out that you were sleeping with him?”

“Darling, you don’t understand,” she cajoled. He just looked at her blankly, too exhausted to care.

Jyn had heard enough. It was a decidedly different story than the tabloids knew. Those seemed to blame Cassian for the breakup. “While this is all fascinating dirty laundry airing, this is neither the time, nor the place. Ms. Ree, please excuse us. I do need Cassian’s opinion on my dress.” She gently nudged him toward the doorway.

Snarling, the model stepped in front of them to block their passage. “Just who do you think you are?” she asked Jyn.

As they stepped around her Jyn replied, “I’m the fiance and I assure you, you aren’t invited to the wedding. If you will excuse us, we have a fitting to finish.” 

As exits went, it was perfectly executed. The overly skinny, surprisingly curvaceous beauty stomped out of the store. “That went well, don’t you think?” Jyn asked.

“I haven’t seen her since the breakup. Thank you for the help. When she doesn’t get her way she can be vicious.”

“She does have that reputation.” 

Jyn thought the morning couldn’t get any worse. So of course, it did. The seamstress had been listening into the conversation. “Did I hear you're getting married? When’s the wedding? You’ll need a dress.” 

Adamantly shaking her head, Jyn replied, “We haven’t set a date yet. Picking out a dress would be a bit premature, don’t you think?” As the woman nodded unhappily, Jyn sighed in relief. Any wedding gown bought here would easily be in the five digits. That would be a horrible waste since she would never wear it. 

Cassian found the thought of Jyn dressed in white was a pleasant one. “Why not? It could take a few weeks to have it ready.”

“Absolutely not. I am not looking at gowns until after we set a date,” she said with finality.

“I guess we know what we are talking about over dinner.” 

“I think we are done here,” she responded abruptly. Turning to the seamstress, she asked, “You can get that blue gown ready by Friday morning?”

“Yes, ma’am. And the other gowns can be ready by the following week. We’ll just need to do one final fitting.”

“Thank you,” she turned to leave, gently guiding Cassian with her. 

“Mistress Jyn,” See said in that annoying pompous tone, “You also have a meeting with Art Tool this afternoon. He’s going to teach you appropriate make-up tips and how to style and take care of your hair. He’s Mistress Leia’s personal hairdresser, and very talented.”

Cassian had visions of Jyn wearing one of his sister’s appalling hairstyles. The thought was rather unpleasant. Jyn had a style all her own that he loved. “Absolutely not.”

“Cassian,” Jyn said placatingly. “I’m only going to get advice from him. He’s not going to turn me into a walking carpet.”

“I don't like this. You are perfect the way you are. Please don’t change for me.”

She smiled softly at him. “I promise I won’t lose myself. I also don’t want to embarrass you at the party.”

They had just stepped onto the curb and Cassian was opening the door for her. “You could never embarrass me.” It took only a moment to get seated in Bodhi’s car. 

As they pulled away from the curb, Cassian asked, “So, how does a month sound?”

“A month,” she repeated, confused. 

“Yes, a month to get married,” he explained with a soft smile.

Panicked, Jyn wanted to shout “Shouldn’t you ask me first?” That would probably confuse him since he thought he had already asked. And the response, “You hardly know me,” wouldn’t go over too well either. Instead she said, “What about giving us time for your memory to come back? Once that happens, you might change your mind.”

“Jyn,” Cassian said plainly, “Doctor Tomin thinks the longer I go without remembering, the greater the possibility I won’t ever remember. And Kay has place the odds at a 65% of full recollection.”

“Don’t you want to get to know me better?”

Cassian thought about how she came to his rescue when Ciana arrived. The two women couldn’t be anymore different. Seeing the two of them side by side he wondered what he had ever seen in the model. Right now what he knew for sure is that he wanted Jyn, now and always. “I feel like I’ve known you forever. Jyn, will you please marry me in a month’s time?”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jyn's life is moving faster than she can keep up with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter just kept getting longer. Poor Jyn is really getting in over her head. These two dorks are driving me nuts.

Jyn was in a full out panic. Cassian Andor, the person she had had an impossible crush on since her teenage hormones kicked in, had just asked her to marry him? True, he didn’t realize he was asking for the first time. In a month? What was he thinking? Looking into those deep brown eyes, all she could do was nod in agreement. 

“Great!” He looked at Bodhi through the rearview mirror. “Bodhi! Did you hear? She agreed to a month.” 

Bodhi smiled and said, “That’s wonderful.” Looking in the rear view mirror, Bodhi seriously thought Jyn was going to smote him dead with that look flashing in her eyes. 

“Isn’t it?” she said, trying not to grit her teeth. She had to do something, it wasn’t fair to Cassian. “After our meeting with the stylist, why don’t you take Cassian home. I have a couple errands to run.” It was definitely time to put an end to this charade. She was going to need to talk to Leia and Kay.

“What errands?” Cassian asked. 

At a loss for just what excuse she could give, she settled on, “We’re going to need a wedding planner. And I need to meet with your sister’s lawyer to go over the prenup.” 

“I could go with you,” Cassian said. Jyn looked at Bodhi for help.

“Cassian,” Bodhi interrupted, “You’ve already taken one nap today. By the time you finish with the next appointment, you are going to need to rest. Your place is far more comfortable.” 

Reluctantly, Cassian agreed. Jyn grabbed his hand and squeezed. “I’ll be back earlier tonight than I was last night. We’ll sit down and set a firm date.” 

The meeting with the stylist went about as well as Jyn could expect. The rotund little man, with bright blue hair, spent most of the afternoon complaining about her hair using inaudible shrieks. How Leia could stand him was a mystery. Fortunately, Cassian was not interested in turning Jyn into a mirror of his sister. Much to the little guy’s dismay, most of his style choices were vetoed. They settled on a simple bun with wisps of hair curling around her face. 

After an hour of the torture, Jyn called a halt using Cassian’s fatigue to end the session early. She helped him into Bodhi’s car and as he got into the back seat, she reached in and gave him a hug, followed by a short kiss on the lips. “See you tonight,” she promised.

As the car pulled away from the curb, Jyn waited on the corner for Baze to meet her. She had sent him a text asking for a ride to Winter’s office. Distracted with her thoughts, she didn’t hear whoever it was that pushed her from behind into traffic. Only Jyn’s lightning quick reflexes saved her from being hit. 

Baze pulled up as she got her footing back on the sidewalk. He came rushing over to her. “Are you alright?”

Shaking her hair out of her eyes she answered, “Yeah. But that was deliberate. Someone pushed me.”

“Come on, let’s get you out of here. We need to clean you up.”

Baze’s words brought her attention to the pain in her knees. They had gotten scraped up. “I hope Winter has a good first aid kit.”

Jyn sat in the back seat since Chirrut was in the passenger seat. As they drove over to the office, Jyn called Kay and ordered him to join her there. They were going to have a talk.

She barely had time to absorb the thought that someone was now out to harm her before they were being shown into the office. She sat down in the waiting room as Baze made quick work of disinfecting her scrapes. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

Waving her hand over her knees she replied, “I’ve had worse.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Baze snapped.

“I know. And I’ll deal with this later. Whatever you do, do not tell Cassian about this.”

“I won’t,” he answered, “for now.”

Winter was waiting for them in a conference room with a large screen TV. “Leia will be joining us via teleconference in a few minutes. In the meantime, here is the prenup she had me draw up for you. Take your time and look it over.”

Without even looking over the document, Jyn signed on the line indicated. “Aren’t you going to read it first?” the assistant asked incredulously. 

“No. We don’t have time for this. Cassian is wanting us to set a date now. On the off chance we get to the altar, I want him to know without a doubt that I am not interested in his money.” 

Winter looked up as Kay entered the room. “Good you're here. Now we just need the ambassador and we can get started.”

It was at that moment when Leia’s image came up on the screen. Everyone took a seat around the table facing her. “Madam Ambassador,” Winter started.

“Knock that off. This isn’t a formal call.” Leia was joined by a young blond haired man. “I asked Luke to join us. He’s helping me with the investigation on this end. It’s a long story, but he’s my twin brother. I was able to track down my birth family. He was raised by our father’s younger brother. Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru have been looking for me for years. We’ve been able to piece together a lot more of what is actually going on from what they put together.”

The young woman paused for a moment. She looked over the people in the boardroom. “So these are the Guardians, Baze and Chirrut? I appreciate any help you can give us.”

Baze nodded as Chirrut answered mystically, “This is where we need to be.”

“We have a problem,”Jyn announced impatiently. 

Leia looked at her. “What’s wrong?”

“At the dressmaker’s this afternoon, Cassian and I ran into his ex-girlfriend Ciana Ree. After the encounter, he decided we need to set a date for the wedding.” Looking over everyone in the room, Jyn made sure she caught Kay and Winter’s eye.

“And why is that an issue?”

“He wants to get married within the month. We need to tell him the truth. This has gone on way too long.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful,” Chirrut said happily, his vacant eyes somehow meeting Jyn’s.

She looked at him incredulously. “No, it’s not! He thinks we are really engaged. How do you think he’s going to feel when he finds out that we have all been deceiving him? That before he woke up in that hospital he had never even laid eyes on me?”

Silence was her answer. Before it could become too uncomfortable, Baze spoke up. “We have a more immediate problem.” Trying to catch his eye, Jyn adamantly shook her head. No he wouldn’t tell them, would he? “About half an hour ago, someone tried to harm Jyn. I believe that attack is related this mess.” He proceeded to tell everyone at the table about her incident.

Leia visibly blanched. “Unfortunately, I would have to agree with you. Should Jyn marry Cassian, she inherits everything upon his death. That means the Empire would have to take her out first or simultaneously. They won’t want to risk the marriage going through or a failed attempt messing up their timeline.”

“Wait,” Jyn interjected. “If we publish the prenup, that should keep them from going after me.”

Smiling, Leia asked, “Did you even read it before you signed it?”

“She did not, even though I advised her to,” Winter spoke up.

“It figures,” Kay added snarklily. Since he had been so quiet up to this point, Jyn had forgotten he was even in the room. “What should our next step be?” 

Flabbergasted, Jyn shouted, “We need to tell Cassian the truth.”

Shaking her head, Leia disagreed. “That is the last thing we should do. If Cassian has any idea what is going on, he will dangle himself as the bait. In his condition, he can’t be making himself a target. The very timing of this attempt on his life was proof that the Empire has stepped up their game. Cassian’s current project was almost done with principal photography. They could finish the film without him at this point which is why his injury isn’t delaying the editing process. It’s expected to make more money than anything else he’s ever done. And a tragedy on the set would only increase it’s profit margin.”

Luke spoke up for the first time. “We now know that this scheme doesn’t end with Krennic. We were able to trace bribe money all the way up to the highest levels of government, including Governor Wilhuff Tarkin. That raises the stakes significantly. One of my friends, a former smuggler, accidently uncovered just how high the corruption goes.”

“Wouldn’t it be better if we warned Cassian? He’s a sitting duck not knowing this isn’t just a deranged fan,” Jyn tried one more time. 

“Not until he is fully recovered and this film he’s working on is finished,” Leia said firmly.

“What if that takes longer than the month Cassian has planned?”

With a smirk, Leia said, “You will look beautiful in white.” She looked above the camera for a moment. “Excuse me, I have to go. The session is about to resume. Jyn, I have sent more information to Winter. I’ll take care of the wedding arrangements. Baze, Chirrut, your hired. Have Jyn catch you up to speed. Kay keep sending me anything you find. And Winter, you know what to do.” Without waiting for a response, Leia cut the connection.

Staring at the table top, Jyn was still stunned at the idea that Leia expected the wedding to go through. She looked up as Winter dropped a file in front of her. “This is everything we have on Krennic and Tarkin’s relationship. I suggest you study it carefully. Krennic will be attending the fundraiser this weekend.”

Kay added, “Cassian can be very uncomfortable around the man. There is a very unpleasant history there. When he went to live at the orphanage, Krennic would use force to make Cassian cooperate on set. After he rescued Leia, the man knew he could threaten her safety instead. That made it easier for the man, since he no longer had to be careful of where he left the bruises. I don’t know everything that happened at the orphanage and Cassian won’t talk about it.”

Unfortunately, Jyn had a wild imagination and could guess what force could be used against a child. “And the Governor?”

“There is an 86 percent chance that he will not be in attendance. He is scheduled to meet with the Senate.”

“So now what?” Jyn asked.

“Now we get you home,” Chirrut said with a smile. She snorted. ‘Home’ was a small two bedroom apartment she shared with Bodhi, but somehow she figured they were talking about a penthouse in a skyscraper that was beginning to feel a little warmer everyday.

“Very well. Baze, would you mind giving me a ride back to Cassian's?”

“After this afternoon, I would insist on it, Little Sister. We’re going to have to discuss your safety.”

That was a conversation Jyn did not want to have.

As promised, Jyn returned early. This time she let herself in without hesitation. There was no one home. Just to be sure, she went room to room and no one was there. Had something gone wrong? Frantically, she called Bodhi. When there was no answer, she flipped through the contacts looking for Cassian’s number. That call went straight to voicemail.

Irrationally, she thought, ‘I am never going to let him out of sight again.’ She started to dial Kay. Before she could hit send, she heard a key turn in the lock. Dropping her phone on the table, she ran to the door. She opened the door revealing Cassian with Bodhi behind him. Without thinking, Jyn reached out and dragged Cassian into her arms, hugging him tightly. 

After a moment, he wrapped his arms tightly around her, too. Rolling his eyes, Bodhi pushed them further into the room so he could shut the door. Her friend took the bag he was carrying down the hall to the guest room. Privacy seemed to be in order, and he felt like a third wheel.

After a long moment, Jyn pulled back and looked Cassian over. Reassured that he was fine, she said, “Where have you been? I got home and you weren’t here.”

“I-,” he hesitated. “I had a couple things I wanted to take care of. Since you were busy, I just had Bodhi help me.”

“What was so important that you couldn’t wait for me to go with you?” 

Frowning, Cassian asked, “Can I tell you later? I really want to surprise you.” He looked so tired. The lines around his eyes gave him a wan look. 

Deciding to pick her battles, Jyn said, “I’ll let it go as long as you promise you won’t scare me like that again. If you go out, call me.”

Sheepishly, Cassian said, “I don’t think I have your number.” 

Right, Jyn thought, of course he didn’t. She hardly knew her number. Dragging him by one arm back to the table she left her phone on, she said, “I’ll call you. Add it to your contacts. And make sure you use it.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Cassian laughed. “How did it go with my sister?” 

“I signed my part. But I think you need to get a different attorney. I don’t like the way the prenup was drawn up. Read it for yourself before you sign it, please.”

“I’m sure it’s fine. Stop worrying about it,” he yawned. 

Sympathetically, Jyn grabbed his hand again and took him to his room. “Come on, you need to rest.”

After tucking him into the bed, her cat at his feet, Jyn turned resolutely toward the guest room Bodhi had ducked into. “What do you think you are doing?” she demanded as she closed the door behind her.

Bodhi looked up from the dresser he was unpacking his clothes into. “Cassian wants me to stay here while I’m acting as your chauffeur. We moved your clothes to his room earlier.” 

“Great,” she said frustrated. “I’m just getting pulled deeper and deeper into this lie. How do you think Cassian is going to feel when he finds out he isn’t really engaged to me?”

Bodhi looked at her incredulously. “Excuse me. I heard him ask and I heard you agree.”

Throwing her hands up, Jyn growled, “This is all based on a lie. When he finds out the truth, he’s never going to forgive me.”

“Tell me the truth, you’re falling for him, aren’t you?”

“This is a job, nothing more.”

“Really, Jyn. You forget how long I’ve known you. You are deluding yourself if you think this isn’t real.”

Frustrated, Jyn said, “For me it is. For Cassian, our relationship is an illusion.” 

“Have faith, Jyn. Things will work out.”

“Not if he gets killed. The stakes are even higher now. Leia just painted a target on my back with that damn prenup. If someone comes after me, he could get hurt.”

“Yet you aren’t worried about getting hurt if someone goes after him again. Interesting,” he said with a grin. 

“Oh, shut up,” she turned and stormed out.

Crossing over to Cassian’s room, Jyn checked on him. He looked so peaceful, her heart ached at the thought of being the one to hurt him.

An hour later, she was working in the office when Cassian came in looking much better. Color had returned to his face. Leaning against the door frame he asked casually, “Did you have any plans for dinner?”

“Not really. I was about to call Kay and ask him to add a third person to the meals he’s sending. Bodhi really doesn’t like my cooking and since I haven’t made it to the store, that just seemed the easiest solution.”

He shrugged, “I’ll have Kay take care of that in the morning. If it’s alright with you, I made reservations at a restaurant downtown. Bodhi said it wouldn’t be a problem to drive us over there.” 

There was such an eagerness to his features, Jyn couldn’t find it in her heart to say no, even though she knew it was risky. “I can call and cancel dinner tonight.”

In that moment Jyn decided that the smile that lit his face was worth the danger. “Great. Think you can be ready in an hour?”

Jyn had a bad feeling about this, but she couldn’t figure out how to let him down gently.

Time moved very fast. Before Jyn knew it, she was being escorted into one of the fanciest Mexican restaurants in the celebrity district. She was conscious of all the eyes on Cassian as they sat down. Several people turned to stare at them. With a careful one-handed movement he pulled out her chair. Knowing he just couldn't help her push it in, he sat down across from her. The sling his arm was in frustrated him, but Jyn refused to let him out without it. Realistically, he knew that until the stitches came out, he couldn’t afford to put any pressure on the gun shot wound. Thankfully, the were scheduled to be removed the morning of the fundraiser.

Taking his seat, he ordered ice tea. Jyn looked askance at him as she duplicated his order. When the waitress walked away she casually said, “I expected you to order something stronger.”

Shaking his head, he answered nonchalantly, “I can’t. As much as I hate them, I took a pain pill earlier and don’t want to mix it with alcohol.”

“Are you in pain?” she worried.

Shrugging his good shoulder he replied, “Not really. And I want to keep it that way. I’ll try to get through tomorrow without them. I don’t like the way they make me feel and they can be addictive.”

Picking up the menu, Jyn casually asked, “Have you ever been here before?” What she really wanted to know was, ‘How many other women have you brought here?’

“A few times.” Smiling, he added, “My parents used to bring Leia and I here for special occasions. Some of my greatest memories happened in this room.”

Glancing over the menu she realized it was in Spanish. “Why don’t you order for me then?”

Confused, he asked, “Are you sure?” 

“Yeah. I’m sure you know what’s good.”

After a moment he realized, “You can’t read it! I’m so sorry. We can pick a different restaurant.”

“It’s fine. I like the atmosphere.” There was no way she was going to disappoint him. Casually, she asked, “Does Ciana speak Spanish?”

“What?” Cassian asked distractedly as he looked over the menu. He really hated ordering for other people. 

“Did you have to order for her, or could she read the menu?” she clarified.

It took him a moment to understand what she was asking. “I honestly don’t know if she ever learned Spanish. And I never brought her here.” 

“Never?”

Self consciously, he said, “Ciana has a way of making a scene wherever she goes. I didn’t want--,” he stopped. After a careful moment, he finished with, “I just didn’t want any bad memories of this place. Until now, I’ve only ever been here with my family.”

A warm feeling spread through Jyn that she didn’t understand. This place was special to him and he was sharing it with her.

As the waitress returned with their drinks, he said, “You’re sure you want me to order for you?” 

“Definitely. I trust you.”

Once they were alone again, Cassian said, “I wanted to talk to you--” breaking off uncertainly, he looked down at the table. After a moment he tried again. “I don’t remember asking you to marry me. I don’t remember our first meeting. Of all the memories I don’t have, those are the two I want back more than any others.”

Sliding his arm out of the sling, he pulled a box from his pants pocket and opened it. “I may never get those memories back, but at least I will remember giving you the ring.” He reached out and took her left hand. The look on his face was tense as he slid the gaudy bauble off her hand replacing it with a small emerald heart. “Jyn, you hold my heart, and I want everyone to know it.”

Rubbing her finger across the gem, she cried, “Cassian, how can you be sure? You’ve only known me for a week.”

“I’ve only known you for a week this time. Yet I feel I have known you forever. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“We should wait until after your current project is finished before we make permanent plans.”

“No! The final photography can’t be finished until my ribs heal. I don’t want to wait that long.”

Shrugging, Jyn answered, “You pick the date, I’ll be there. I love you.” With a start she realized she wasn’t lying.

Smiling, Cassian answered, “I know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In trying to write this I kept getting interrupted. My co-workers don't understand that I would rather write than hang out after work. I really hope I didn't repeat thoughts too much.
> 
> And I just had to add Tarkin for NewLeeLand.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is so late, real life got in the way. I also had to change writing programs. Please forgive any formatting errors.

Coming awake slowly, Jyn tried to figure out why she was so warm. Wicket must have snuggled in with her. Opening her eyes, she realized she was in Cassian’s bed, curled up into his side. Carefully, she pushed herself to a sitting position trying not to wake him. Her confused mind fought hard to remember how she ended up here.

When they got back to the penthouse the night before, Cassian went straight to bed and was asleep before his head hit the pillow. Jyn had rummaged around his room to find her night clothes, only to realize she had nothing appropriate to sleep in. She’d been planning on using the guest room and hadn’t thought twice about her light weight camisole and shorts being appropriate. The bruises she had acquired during her fall changed her mind. Not wanting to answer any questions, she had grabbed one of his dress shirts and buttoned it up over her top.

Her eyes caught on the ring on her finger and reality set in. This wasn’t a fake engagement anymore. He had asked and she had said yes. They’d agreed on a date. Or rather, Cassian had picked a date and Jyn had just gone with it. When he realized the truth, he was going to hate her. Then again, he might never remember. Would that be better, or worse? Could she live with this lie?

For now there was nothing she could do. His life was in danger and now the would- be-killer was also after her. It was a lot to take in. There really was no going back from here.

Cassian had been very affectionate after dinner. She wondered if things would have gone farther than a passionate good night kiss if he had been feeling better. Probably. And she most definitely would not have refused. It was time to admit that she was in way over her head. 

There was a decision to make. She either needed to break her contract, tell him the truth, and pray he didn’t react the way she thought he would or she needed to push forward and not look back.

If she told Cassian the truth, he’d most likely kick her to the curb, his safety be damned. No man liked to feel impotent. And he wouldn’t hesitate to put his own life on the line. She knew Kennic to be a single-minded individual who didn’t care about the body count he left in his wake. There was no way she would let him add Cassian to that list.

Getting up from the bed, she grabbed a change of clothes and made her way to the master bathroom. The image that gazed back at her was a stranger. This person looked comfortable in a shirt too many sizes too big to count and her hair in complete disarray. Amazingly, she liked this person. In that moment she decided to quit fighting the inevitable. Whether or not Cassian hated her when this was over, she was done with the internal fight. He needed her help and she was going to be there for him, all the way.

A quick check on Cassian showed he was still asleep, Wicket by his side. Silently she left the room to go make coffee only to find Bodhi beat her to it. Taking a seat at the table, she looked up at him. “I would appreciate it in the future if you could at least shoot off a quick text to me so I know where you are going.”

Bodhi looked up from the coffee pot. “I’m sorry about that. I didn’t even think of it. We really expected to beat you back here and Cassian wanted to surprise you.”

“Yeah. About that surprise. Next time try to talk him out of it. Do you have any idea what the ring must have cost? Between all these dresses, makeup artists, assistants and his sister paying all our bills while I’m staying in this upscale penthouse suite, I feel like I’m using him for his money. It’s not fair. I wonder if he actually knew the truth if he would be so generous.”

“I think you don’t give him enough credit. It’s obvious to me that the money doesn’t mean anything to him. If he could live in a nice house without all this,” he waived his hands around the room, “I think Cassian would be just as happy.” 

A noise from the bedroom had Jyn looking nervously at the bedroom. “Quick, before Cassian comes out here, I need to let you know we have another problem.” She looked down at the counter schooling her features into a neutral look. “Yesterday, after you and Cassian left, I was waiting for Baze to pick me up. Someone intentionally pushed me into the street. Leia, Kay and everyone at the meeting yesterday is certain that it is related to this mess. That damn prenup I signed leaves Cassian’s estate to me in the event of his death before he turns 30. The estate wouldn’t get released to me until the date of Cassian’s 30th birthday.”

“That makes you a bigger target than Cassian,” Bodhi whispered. 

“Yeah. I guess Leia was really hedging her bets. If we get married, I would have to die either before, or at the same time as he did, for Empire Assets to claim his estate.”

“You’re going to need your own bodyguards.”

“Well, I have you here with me all the time,” she glared. “Thanks for that by the way. I wasn’t planning on taking advantage of him and now I’m sharing his room.”

“Admit it, you really aren’t sorry about that.”

There was no way Jyn was going to say such a thing. “And Leia just hired Baze and Chirrut as my bodyguards, so you’ll have back up. They are going to be attending the fundraiser as stunt choreographers for Alliance Studios.”

“Well, that will be easy since they really are consultants for Alliance.”

“Now we just have to worry about the fundraiser itself. Orson Krennic is expected to attend and from what I understand, there is no love lost between the two. In fact, Kay implied a distinct dislike on Cassian’s part. I want you to attend with us. That won’t be a problem since Cassian is one of the sponsors.”

“Cassian already invited me.”

“Great that will make things much easier.”

“I’m taking him to the hospital this morning to see about getting the stitches out. He’s hoping they will remove them a day early. They are really annoying him.”

“He didn’t say anything to me,” Jyn said confused.

“I think he doesn’t want to put you out.” 

“I guess we will have to see about that. He’s not leaving me behind.” 

Bodhi laughed. “I’ll let you tell him. I don’t want to get into that debate.”

“When you get a moment, I had Winter send you more information. The ambassador has been busy with her investigation.” As an afterthought, she added, “And you better dust your tux off.”

Confused, Bodhi asked, “Why?”

“It looks like you have a bride you're going to be giving away.” She smirked at his dumbfounded expression. They spent the next few minutes discussing wedding plans. 

Jyn was laughing pretty hard at one of Bodhi’s suggestions when Cassian’s phone rang. The number was restricted and she decided not to bother him with the call, answering it on the third ring. “Hello?”

“Who is this?” a sharp male voice asked.

“Excuse me?”

“Is this that tramp on the cover of the Holo Gazette? Jyn Erso?” came the biting response.

“I’m sorry, you have me at a disadvantage. You are?”

“Get Cassian on the phone right now,” came the demanding reply.

“No,” she answered firmly. “He’s unavailable at the moment. I can take a message if you like.”

“This is Director Orson Krennic, and I need to talk to him now.”

Her body went cold at the name. “What message do you want me to give him?”

“Girl, do you know who I am? You don’t mess with me. Whatever Cassian is doing, get him to the phone.”

“I know who you are Director,” she said, waving at Bodhi to close Cassian’s door. “As I have said, Cassian is not available.”

“Ms. Erso,” Krennic drawled out like a snake, “may I call you Jyn?” He paused for a moment before continuing, “Jyn, I hear you're planning on marrying Cassian. I have to warn you, I don’t think that’s a good idea. He will learn soon enough that you aren’t what you seem.”

“Excuse me?”

“A waif like you, turning up out of nowhere, marrying him for his money.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“On second thought,” he said, creepily, “I am looking forward to meeting you tomorrow night.”

Dread filling her, Jyn responded, “It will be an enlightening experience, I’m sure. Goodbye, Director,” she snapped, taking childish pleasure in ending the call. Her hands were shaking as she put down the phone. Catching Bodhi’s eye, she said, “I think he was trying to intimidate me.”

Snorting, Bodhi replied, “He doesn’t know you very well.”

“No, he doesn’t.” Standing, she moved to Cassian’s room. “I think Krennic called to convince Cassian to break up with me. We definitely need him to be on top of his game,” she answered grimly. 

***  
The fundraiser was being held at a four star hotel in downtown. Two suites had been booked ahead of time for Cassian, one for him, and one for Kay, so they could be rested for the event. It would be much easier to stay at the hotel the night before and the night of the dinner. The change of plans that came with the shooting was that Cassian and Jyn took one room, and Bodhi shared the other with Kay. 

The visit to the hospital went very well. Doctor Tomin agreed the stitches could come out, and prescribed a painkiller that would let Cassian drink at the party. It wasn’t that he wanted to drink, but it was expected that he would. No matter what happened, he didn't want to lose control.

The doctor agreed to remove Cassian’s stitches with the promise that he wouldn’t return to work for at least a week. Because of his back injuries, he would be limited with what he could do on set. There was a telephone consultation with the studio who had agreed to either find a body-double to film the strenuous stuff or rework the scene.

Jyn couldn’t forget the x-rays. By some amazing feat, Cassian had survived the fall with the head injury being the worst damage. That didn’t mean his ribs would heal over night. The neurologist who had been consulted seemed a little puzzled by the fact that Cassian had still not recovered his memories. While she suggested that the loss should have been short term, she admitted that the brain was still unknown territory. 

Kay had arranged it so that their luggage had already been dropped off and unpacked. This meant that Jyn had nothing to distract her from the beautiful man whose bed she would be sharing. She wanted to warn him about Krennic's call, but she didn't know where to begin.

Cassian noticed that Jyn seemed distracted all day long. At first he thought it was something he might have done. Then he realized she was being extra solicitous around him. He could barely go to the bathroom without her following. 

Several minutes of silence passed before he asked, “What’s wrong?”

Jyn looked away from the window she had been staring out of. If you had asked her what the view was, she couldn’t have answered. Pushing out a breath, she lied, “I was just thinking about what the doctors said. You were very lucky. You could have died that day.” What she wanted to say was, ‘Krennic scares me and I think he tried to kill you.”

She wanted to tell him to be on his guard, that the shooting wasn’t an accident. That would break her contract. It might also put him at risk. They had known each other such a short time and Jyn couldn’t predict his response. Strolling over to him, she kissed his cheek as she brought him in for a hug, pulling tighter at him. 

Hesitantly, Cassian brought his arms up around her and hugged her back. Jyn went rigid against him as he unknowingly put pressure on one of the bruises. She tried to hide her response, but Cassian had been focusing on her for a while. “What’s wrong?’

Pulling back, Jyn looked into his eyes and decided to tell the truth, or most of the truth. “I fell yesterday, but don’t worry, it’s just a few bruises.” 

A dark look crossed his face. Dragging her into the bedroom, he growled out, “Show me.”

Self consciously, Jyn peeled her shirt over her head, standing there in her camisole. Along her arms were a few scratches and bruises, the largest of which had been right where he put his hand. “Any more?” 

She nodded, but made no move to further undress. “A few scrapes on my knees. There’s nothing for you to worry about.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” 

“You have enough to worry about. I’m fine. In a couple days, the bruises will be gone.”

“If something like this happens again, tell me. I can handle it. You need to stop trying to protect me,” he stated firmly.

Carefully he reached out and pulled her to him, kissing her shoulder. He pulled her arm out to her side and dragged his lips along to each mark. Then he made eye contact, silently asking for permission to continue. She smiled back.

***  
Jyn awoke to a stiffness in her body she wasn't used to. The night came rushing back. What had she done? Well, besides enjoying the best night of her life, that is. When this was all over Cassian was going to break her heart. She just knew it. Everyone she cared about left at some point, right?

Reminding herself to stay calm, she looked over at her, what? Her fiance? Her assignment? The man who stole her heart? 

Cassian looked so peaceful, young and relaxed in a way she had never seen. Now was not the time to ruin that. 

She had been so focused on him, she didn't realize he was awake. “Hi,” he whispered, half afraid she would disappear.

“Hi,” she whispered back, self consciously. What did one say in a moment like this?

Fortunately, Jyn didn't have to say anything. “I guess we had better get up and start the day,” Cassian said as he leaned over and kissed her. Then he slipped out of bed to the bathroom with a smile on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the best I can do at smut, sorry. Guess I'm too much of an Addams family fan.

**Author's Note:**

> My tumbler blog is k-lara7, but I have no idea how that site works.


End file.
